TOO CLOSE TO HOME...AND FAR AWAY

University of Washington graduate student Rebecca Griego was killed by a stalking boyfriend Jonathan Rowen at Gould Hall on the University of Washington campus in Seattle, Washington on April 2nd. I was born in Seattle and I was a student at the University of Washington many years ago. It hurts to see news like this from home.

On April 3rd, Clara Riddles was shot by a man who was arguing with her in the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Police then shot the man in the face. Rebecca Griego was 26, Clara Riddles was 22.

There is no justification that the NRA can give for these deaths. These were homicides of innocents, not self-defence and not sport hunting unless you are sick enough to think that Johnathan Rowen's stalking of Rebecca Griego constituted sport. Women being afraid of murder does not fit into the hack philosophy of self-defence or sport that the National Rifle Association advocates. The tragic deaths of Rebecca Griego and Clara Riddles make a lie out of the ignoble beliefs of fanatical gun owners who want legislation to absolve anyone who uses a gun in a License to Murder. Guns do kill people, much easier than any other weapon, and ownership of guns should face stiffer regulation.